NOTES:Donation Land Claim #3377 - Burres L. Hastings, Polk Co; b 1831, Tenn; arrived Oregon 26 July 1853; settled claim 5 Apr 1854; m Sophia 5 Mar 1854, Ore Territory; by 11 Nov 1868 John Wiles was owner of claim. Aff: James W. McClain, Andrew Chamberlain
MARRIAGE - Burris L. Hastings & Sophia Simpson m 5 Mar 1854, A.W. Sweeney, MG
1860 OR CENSUS - B.L. Hastings (29y, b Tenn, occupation farmer) enumerated with Sophia (23y, b Arkansas), R.A. [Rebecca] (5y, b Oregon), R.E. [Reuben] (3y, b Oregon) and H.J. [Hannah] (2m, b Oregon) and M. Faulkenberg (female, 18y, b Arkansas) and Thomas Faulkenberg (10y, b Arkansas)
1880 OR CENSUS - B.L. Hastings (49y, b Tenn, occupation farmer) enumerated with wife Sophia (43y, b Arkansas), daughter H.J. [Hannah] (30y, b Oregon), son R.W. [Rice] (9y, b Oregon) and 2 nieces, N.D. [Nora] Simpson (7y, b Oregon) and R.S.A. [Rebecca] Simpson (6y, b Oregon) [Note-Nora and Rebecca were daughters of Sophia's deceased brother A.A. Simpson who is buried in English cemetery]
1900 OR CENSUS - Burres Hastings (b Apr 1830, Tenn; married 46y) enumerated with wife Sophie (b Apr 1837, Arkansas, mother of 4 children, 3 living at time of census) and son Rhuben A. (b Jan 1857, Oregon; widowed)
BIOGRAPHY - Burres L. Hastings, who was a resident of Monmouth before his death, in 1907, was a native of Georgia but the greater part of his life after he crossed the plains in 1852 was spent in Oregon. In 1855 he settled on Soap creek, Polk county, and entered upon his agricultural pursuits on a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres. For four years he cultivated this tract, after which he located on a ranch of three hundred and seventy-nine acres in Pedee valley which is still held by his widow, in addition to a tract of one hundred and sixty acres on the Luckiamute river, which she also holds. During his twenty-nine years’ residence on his farm he raised cattle and did general farming.
In 1855 Mr. Hastings was married to Sophia Simpson, who was born in Arkansas, April 5, 1837, and crossed the plains in 1845 with her parents, Rice Wilson and Rebecca (Lasater) Simpson. Mr. Simpson was born in Georgia in 1808 and Mrs. Simpson, in Tennessee, in 1812. After their marriage they lived in Missouri and Arkansas until they came to Oregon in 1845, having made the trip with ox teams in six months. They were especially fortunate on their trip not having any trouble with Indians. Arriving at Columbia river, they remained in the north and farmed there for one year before removing to Polk county, Oregon, and settling on the Luckiamute river, where they made their home until they joined the great army going to California in 1850 in search for gold. They were among the successful ones in the venture and soon returned to locate again upon the Luckiamute river, this time purchasing the land which they farmed. Mr. Simpson died at the age of seventy-four years and Mrs. Simpson was fifty-two years old at the time of her death. They were the parents of twelve children of whom four are living: Sophia, who is the widow of the subject of this sketch; Albert; Jane; and Reuben. Mr. and Mrs. Hastings were the parents of four children, namely: Alice, deceased; Reuben, who resides on the Luckiamute property; Hannah, who is a resident of Albany, Oregon; and Rice, who resides in Cottage Grove, Oregon.
Mr. Hastings accorded his political support to the democratic party and was always a believer in the principles of that party. In his business dealings he was upright and fair and to his fellowmen, cordial and sincere. He belonged to that type of men who have built up the west, the optimistic, hard-laboring, broadly human class.
Joseph Gaston, Centennial History of Oregon (Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912), Volume IV, pp. 511
DISCREPENCY - First name spelled as Burres and Burris in the records

OBITUARY:Monmouth: Burris Hastings died at his home in Monmouth Monday night, aged 76 years. He had been sick for several weeks. He left a wife and a large number of relatives. Mr Hastings was a good neighbor and was liked by all. Burial took place in the Smith cemetery.
Polk County Observer, Friday, October 25, 1907, 1:4